Recently published data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that, as of May 2022, there were more than 3,072,000 registered nurses (RNs) employed in the U.S.  Over 333,300 of those RN jobs were in the four-state Southwest region of the country.  BLS data revealed the Southwest as a modestly below-average one for registered nurse pay.  Although three states in the region ranked in the upper half nationally for RN annual mean wages, in no state in the region was the average annual mean wage for registered nurses in excess of the national average.  BLS data from May 2022 reveals the following about registered nurse pay in the Southwest:

Registered Nurse Pay in the Southwest

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AZ	56,040	$86,740	15th
NM	15,910	$85,580	17th
OK	30,320	$76,920	36th
TX	231,060	$84,320	20th
U.S.	3,072,700	$89,010	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on May 8, 2023